The present invention pertains to a vehicle that alerts an operator of the vehicle to a specified operational condition by causing a perceptible shaking motion of the vehicle.
A wide range of vehicles and methods are known for transporting human subjects. It is well known that circumstances arise under which it is useful or even critical that the operator of the vehicle be alerted to the occurrence of a particular state (such as engine failure, for example) or to the desirability of a particular course of action (xe2x80x98fasten seat beltxe2x80x99).
Sometimes, because of the disability or lack of concentration of the operator, a visual or auditory warning or alert may be ineffectual. Tactile alarms are known in the art where a small vibrator is placed against the skin of the rider. In traveling over rough terrain, however, the rider may not notice the small vibrations against his/her skin. In addition, such an alarm must typically be attached to the rider""s body in order for it to work.
In accordance with preferred embodiments of the present invention, there is provided a vehicle for carrying a user. The vehicle has a ground-contacting module which supports a payload including the user and which contacts an underlying surface by means of at least one ground-contacting member. The vehicle also has a motorized drive for actuating the at least one ground-contacting member so as to propel the vehicle in a normal mode of locomotion. A sensor is provided for sensing a specified condition of the vehicle, as is a controller for causing the vehicle, in response to the specified condition, to be propelled in an extraordinary mode of locomotion.
In accordance with another aspect of the present invention, an alarm system is provided for alerting the operator of a vehicle having a motorized drive. The alarm system has a sensor for sensing a specified condition of the vehicle and a controller for causing the vehicle, in response to the specified condition, to be propelled in an extraordinary mode of locomotion. The controller may include a shaker that modulates acceleration of the vehicle. The vehicle may include a control loop in which a motorized drive is included, for propelling the vehicle is a condition of dynamic balance with respect to tipping in the fore-aft plane.
In accordance with further embodiments of the invention, the controller may provide an input to the control loop upon occurrence of a triggering condition, the input having a periodic factor. The controller may cause modulated acceleration of the vehicle. The ground-contacting module may include two laterally disposed wheels, and the vehicle may further include a control loop in which the motorized drive is included, for propelling the vehicle is a condition of dynamic balance with respect to tipping in the fore-aft plane. The controller may provide an input to the control loop upon occurrence of a triggering condition, the input having a periodic factor and a multiplicative coefficient.
In accordance with further alternate embodiments of the invention, the input may contribute differentially to a torque applied to a left wheel and a torque applied to a right wheel. The triggering condition may include at least one of low battery power, a specified vehicle speed, and receipt by the controller of conflicting values from redundant subsystems.